Cycling in the Northland

Went for a ride tonight. Great stuff, huh? The Northland in Kansas City is really great for cycling. There’s a multitude of empty country roads where you can pedal to your heart’s content. The only thing that messes up this cycle-induced nirvana are the self-absorbed roadiacs (it’s my blog, I can make up words if I want) who speed their souped up family sedans or quasi-military vehicles (I would link, but I don’t want to subject you to the flash intro at Hummer.com) along with no care in the world about anyone else. “Hell, if I get in an accident, it ain’t me that’s going to get hurt. The momentum’s with me and/or I’ll just run ‘em over.”

It’s not that I have a thing against those types of cars. I love a big utility vehicle or fast car as much as the next guy. It’s the self-absorbedness that they represent. Most people don’t need a car that can do -6 second 0-60 runs. Most people don’t need a vehicle that can be dropped from a helicopter at 1000 feet and still be drivable. They just want the vehicle, the environment and other motorists be damned.

But who cares…? Right? It’s not like the money that they pump into those vehicles every other day at the gas station does any harm. I mean, terrorists aren’t in OPEC. No… the contractors that set the pipe lines in Saudi don’t actually have any ties to Al Qaeda. Oh wait, they do? Then I guess the self-absorbed individuals who are too busy with their own life to be courteous when they pass me on my bike are funding terrorism, too. And here I was just thinking they were inconsiderate.